$160.00
By Benjamin Tubb-Hearne
A brass band epic four elements in the making. Quaternity: Forces of the Ancients takes performers and audiences on a seamless journey through earth, wind, water, and fire — the four classical elements that have captivated human imagination since Ancient Greece and Ancient Indian philosophy first described them over 2,500 years ago.
Commissioned for the Own Choice section at the 2025 New Zealand Brass Band Championships by the Windsor Excelsior Brass Band (Brisbane, Queensland), Quaternity is a powerful, cinematic four-movement work that pushes bands to their expressive and technical limits.
I. Of Soil to Stone
An atmospheric opening evoking the birth of our planet — the formation of mountains, the creation of continents, and the raw power of earthquakes.
II. The Tempest’s Rise
A musical depiction of a violent storm, written in the eerie midst of Cyclone Alfred. From an uneasy calm to blustery gales and chaos, this movement hurls listeners straight into the storm’s fury.
III. An Ocean’s Call
A tribute to the expansiveness and regality of the world’s oceans. Featuring quasi-sirensong cadenzas for solo cornet and trombone, this movement closes with a moving tribute to all those lost at sea.
IV. Through the Firestorm
The tour de force finale. Relentless, toccata-like, and packed with flying semiquaver “embers,” this movement draws on film and video game influences before finishing with a bang.
Whether you’re preparing for competition or looking for a bold, story-driven centrepiece for your next concert programme, Quaternity: Forces of the Ancients delivers drama, colour, and technical brilliance from the first note to the last.
